barbara trainin blank

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for April. Sherri Maret’s children’s book Help Me! earned the top spot. Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess by Barbara Trainin-Blank was second.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for April, 2016 (by Revenue)

Rank

Last Month

Title

Author

Category

1

NEW

Help Me!

Sherri Maret

Childrens

2

NEW

Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess

Barbara Trainin-Blank

Biography

3

4

Choice of Enemies

M A Richards

Spy Thriller

4

1

Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, 2nd Ed.

Mike Campbell

History

5

NEW

Israel Under Siege

Scot McCauley

Espionage Fiction

6

—

Where Elephants Fought

Bridget Smith

Historical Fiction

7

—

The Closer

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

8

7

Solomon Screech Owl’s Antarctic Adventure

Beth Lancione & Kathy Haney

Childrens

9

NEW

The Ripper’s Haunts

Michael Hawley

History

10

—

The Mouse with the Broken Tail

Dan Shutters

Childrens

11

—

Freemasons at Gettysburg

Sheldon Munn

History

12

—

The B Team

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

13

20

A Moment in the Sun

Tory Gates

YA Fiction

14

11

Between Good and Evil

R Michael Phillips

Detective Thriller

15

NEW

The Cursed Man

Keith Rommel

Thriller Fiction

16

—

The Complete Story of the Worldwide Invasion of the Orange Orbs

Terry Ray

Paranormal

17

—

The Sign of the Eagle

Jess Steven Hughes

Historical Fiction

18

—

Bows, Bullets, and Bears

John L Moore

History

19

—

Settlers, Soldiers, and Scalps

John L Moore

History

20

—

Winter of the Metal People

Dennis Herrick

Historical Fiction

21

—

Forts, Forests, and Flintlocks

John L Moore

History

22

—

Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks

John L Moore

History

23

—

Cannons, Cattle, and Campfires

John L Moore

History

24

—

Pioneers, Prisoners, and Peace Pipes

John L Moore

History

25

—

Rivers, Raiders, and Renegades

John L Moore

History

26

—

Warriors, Wampum, and Wolves

John L Moore

History

27

—

Dying for Vengeance

J M West

Murder Mystery

28

26

Darkness at First Light

J M West

Murder Mystery

29

—

Courting Doubt and Darkness

J M West

Murder Mystery

30

—

That Night at Surigao

Ernie Marshall

History

Sherri Maret’s Help Me!, about a humorous wildlife expedition to Africa, was the top seller thanks to author promotional activities. Mary Sachs by Barbara Trainin-Blank placed second due to a large order from a charitable organization. M. A. Richards’ Choice of Enemies inched up to #3 thanks to bookstore sales ahead of author appearances. Mike Campbell’s Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last slipped from the top spot to #4, as sales tailed a bit following release. Former Admiral Scot McCauley’s thriller Israel Under Siege debuted at #5 due to author activities. Where Elephants Fought, the Civil War historical fiction by Bridget Smith, returned to the list at #6 thanks to author events. Alan Mindell’s sports fiction titles The Closer (#7) and The B Team (#12) both returned to the list thanks to author appearances in California. Solomon Screech Owl’s Antarctic Adventure held steady at #8 due to promotional events. Michael Hawley’s The Ripper’s Haunts debuted at #9 thanks to excitement among ripper-aficionados. Dan Shutters’ The Mouse with the Broken Tail returned to the rankings at #10 due to a bulk order. Sheldon Munn’s Freemasons at Gettysburg notched #11 due to continued interest in the subject. Tory Gates’ A Moment in the Sun climbed to #13 thanks to author events. R. Michael Phillips’ thriller Between Good and Evil held steady at #14 due to author appearances. Keith Rommel’s The Cursed Man benefited from the new movie-themed cover, just released, boosting the book to #15. Terry Ray’s Orange Orbs … book jumped to #16 due to an order from MUFON. Jess Stephen Hughes’ The Sign of the Eagle was #17 as the author continued to tour the Pacific Northwest. John L Moore took #’s 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, & 26 with his Frontier Pennsylvania series. Moore’s books have received heavy orders from various retail outlets in the Susquehanna Valley. Dennis Herrick’s Winter of the Metal People returned to #20 due to orders from New Mexico. J. M. West’s Carlisle Crime Capers series took #’s 27, 28, & 29 thanks to author activities. Ernie Marshall returned to the rankings at #30 with his naval history That Night at Surigao.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for November, 2015. Barbara Trainin Blank took the top spot with her biography Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess. Steve Troutman’s The Penns’ Manor of Spread Eagle … took the #2 spot.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for November, 2015 (by Revenue)

Rank

Last Month

Title

Author

Category

1

NEW

Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess

Barbara Trainin Blank

Biography

2

—

The Penns’ Manor of Spread Eagle and the Grist Mills of the Upper Mahantongo Valley

Steve Troutman

History

3

17

A Pennsylvania Mennonite and the California Gold Rush

Lawrence Knorr

History

4

—

The Trevorton, Mahanoy and Susquehanna Railroad

Steve Troutman

History

5

NEW

Darkness at First Light

J M West

Detective Thriller

6

—

Call Sign Dracula

Joe Fair

War Memoir

7

14

The B Team

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

8

5

Where Elephants Fought

Bridget Smith

Historical Fiction

9

22

Pit Bulls

Anthony Julian

History

10

—

Geology of the Mahanoy, Mahantongo and Lykens Valleys

Steve Troutman

Earth History

11

—

The Closer

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

12

7

Rising Hope

Marie Sontag

YA Fiction

13

3

The Bronze Dagger

Marie Sontag

YA Fiction

14

30

That Night at Surigao

Ernie Marshall

History

15

5

The Alabaster Jar

Marie Sontag

YA Fiction

16

NEW

Murder in Tuxedo Park

William Lemanski

Detective Thriller

17

19

Raising Monarchs

Sue Fox McGovern

Nature

18

1

The Keeper of the Crows

Kyle Alexander Romines

Thriller Fiction

19

—

The Sign of the Eagle

Jess Steven Hughes

Historical Fiction

20

8

The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf

Ron Knorr & Clemmie Whatley

History

21

25

Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last

Mike Campbell

History

22

—

The Descendants of Johann Peter Klinger and Catharina Steinbruch

Max Klinger

Genealogy

23

—

Bows, Bullets, and Bears

John Moore

History

24

—

Dying for Vengeances

J M West

Detective Thriller

25

—

There is Something About Rough and Ready

Lawrence Knorr, et al

History

26

6

Capital Murder

Chris Papst

Investigation

27

—

Tulpehocken Trail Traces

Steve Troutman

History

28

—

Lost in the Shadow of Fame

William Lemanski

Biography

29

—

Cannons, Cattle, and Campfires

John Moore

History

30

—

Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks

John Moore

History

Sunbury Press had its second-worst month of the year in November. Sales were down 27% from last November. “After the terror attacks in Paris on the 13th, there was a two-week lull in sales,” explained Sunbury Press CEO, Lawrence Knorr. Overall, sales are still up 72% compared to last year.

Barbara Blank’s biography “Mary Sachs” took the top spot thanks to events in Mary’s native Harrisburg. Steve Troutman took four spots in the top 30 with “The Penn’s Manor” (#2), “The Trevorton, Mahanoy, and Susquehanna Railroad” (#4), “Geology of the Mahanoy …” (#6), and Tulpehocken Trail Traces (#27). Steve has increased his speaking engagements. Lawrence Knorr’s “A Pennsylvania Mennonite and the California Gold Rush” moved up to 3rd due to orders from Gold Rush country. Knorr also took #25 with “There is Something About Rough and Ready” due to Troutman’s activities. J. M. West’s new mystery “Darkness at First Light” debuted at #5. It’s prequel, “Dying for Vengeance,” charted at #24. Ms. West has been making appearances in the Carlisle area. Joe Fair’s Vietnam memor, “Call Sign Dracula,” returned to the charts at #6 thanks to author activities. Alan Mindell took lucky #7 and #11 with his two novels — “The B Team” and “The Closer.” Alan continues to have success on the speaking circuit in the San Diego area. “Where Elephants Fought,” the historical Civil War novel by Mississippian Bridget Smith held at #8 due to author appearances. Tony Julian’s “Pit Bulls” was #9, as it was a popular Christmas gift at online stores. Marie Sontag grabbed 3 spots with her YA novels: “Rising Hope” (#12), “The Bronze Dagger” (#13), and “The Alabaster Jar (#15). Marie continues her tour of schools in the San Jose area. Ernie Marshall’s “That Night at Surigao” moved up to #14 thanks to steady interest among naval historians. William Lemanski nabbed two spots with his new historical detective thriller “Murder in Tuxedo Park” (#16), and his biography of Kermit Roosevelt “Lost in the Shadow of Fame” (#28). Lemanski has been making appearances in and about Tuxedo Park, NY. “Raising Monarchs” by Sue Fox McGovern held steady at #17 due to continued interest in the declining butterfly population. Kyle Alexander Romine’s “Keeper of the Crows” slipped from the top spot to #18, following the Halloween period. “The Sign of the Eagle” by Jess Steven Hughes climbed back to #19, as the author continued his tours of the Northwest. Ron Knorr and Clemmie Whatley’s history “The Segregated Georgia School for the Deaf” continued to chart at #20 due to interest in the subject matter. Mike Campbell’s “Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last” continued its steady sales at #21. “The Descendants of Johann Peter Klinger and Catharina Steinbruch” by Max Klinger returned to the chart at #22 thanks to Steve Troutman’s activities. John Moore grabbed three spots with three of his eight “Frontier Pennsylvania Series” titles: “Bows, Bullets, and Bears” (#23), “Cannons, Cattle, and Campfires” (#29), and “Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks” (#30). Chris Papst’s “Capital Murder” slide to #26, as interest in the Harrisburg mayoral scandal wanes in favor of the PA State Attorney General scandal.

At a time when women rarely went into business for themselves, Mary Sachs, an immigrant from a poor family with little formal education, became perhaps the most successful entrepreneur in her adopted city of Harrisburg, Pa., and beyond. She opened her first retail store in Harrisburg, selling upscale women’s clothing in 1918, but expanded it to include several departments. Stores in Lancaster and Reading followed. Known as the “Merchant Princess,” she revolutionized retailing, by setting customers up in individual booths and bringing clothes to them.

But Sachs also won accolades for her charitable works, earning a second moniker as the “Princess of Philanthropy.” She was most active in the Jewish Community Center of Harrisburg and other Jewish organizations but donated ecumenically to serve many causes. Eleanor Roosevelt, a personal friend, declared that “few can ever match” her generosity.

I wish a book like What to Do about Mama? had been available in 2000 when my mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s, or even a decade later, when we faced the same issues with my mother-in-law. Because America’s population is aging and more and more baby boomers—“the sandwich generation”—are being thrust into caregiving roles, this book is very timely and reassures you that you are not alone. Seeking help is not a weakness; it may be necessary to retain your sanity.

In What to Do about Mama? we hear about the very different experiences of the co-authors, as well as testimonials from numerous other caregivers:

Barbara Matthews cared for her mother-in-law in her home for four years. She felt like the warm relationship she’d had with her in-laws deteriorated during the process, due to criticism, second-guessing, and an unwillingness to share the burden to the level expected.

Barbara Trainin Blank cared for her mother at a distance for about two years. Because her mother had Alzheimer’s, she had to hire full-time aides and manage the caregiving from afar.

The majority of the testimonials from interviewees dealt with the care of a parent, although some of the people provided care for spouses, children, and other relatives.

The testimonials covered experiences with home care, long distance care, nursing home and hospice care, as well as assisted living arrangements.

Some of the people had good experiences; for others, caregiving became a nightmare. Some had siblings and other relatives who were supportive; others bore the burden alone. Some families grew closer; others were driven apart. For some, the care period was only for a few months, for others, the arrangement lasted years. But the almost universal consensus was that caregiving is hard and unpredictable. Even those who had previous experience in the medical field and elder care were hit with surprises.

What to Do about Mama? is divided into 10 chapters that discuss different aspects of caregiving. Snippets of the stories, which appear elsewhere in the book in their entirety, are interspersed where appropriate to drive home a point. Each story illustrates an important caregiving theme.

In my mystery novel, Going Home, I only show a small slice of the caregiving experience as the drama unfolds. What to Do about Mama? hits you with the hard reality.

Highly recommended for anyone who might someday assume a caregiving role. Read it before you need it, and then keep it around for reference!

Sharon Marchisello is the author of Going Home, a murder mystery about an elderly woman who allegedly kills her caretaker.

The authors, Barbara G. Matthews and Barbara Tranin Blank, have presented a comprehensive work that will benefit every person who is in the position of being a caregiver.

The authors provide key information for all caregivers in every situation that can occur. Their work discusses the caregivers’ various responsibilities, the care receivers’ different reactions to their care, the wide support that hospice gives beyond moribund preparation, and the challenges posed by family members not providing the care. There are caregivers’ different narratives that clearly illustrate the situations that any caregiver will face. These narratives provide solid advice in a personal style that will maintain the reader’s interest.

An especially effective method is the personal sharing by each author. They have very different experiences, one providing within her home and one providing care from a distance. Their narratives that are interspersed throughout the work add to the authenticity of the work. Although personal, both authors do their best to maintain objectivity; they do not present information in a cold manner or overly subjective manner. Their sharing of personal experiences is quite effective.

Since this reviewer has been a caregiver with three family members, I know these authors’ experiences and the sharing by different individuals are very real. And the information they give will benefit every person who is a caregiver or a care receiver.

The culmination of the book is the chapter that provides clear recommendations for every caregiver. This chapter alone is well worth the purchase of the work. And as one who has been a caregiver, What To Do About Mama I know that this book is a must-read for every individual who wants to be a prepared and effective caregiver and a cooperative and more understanding care receiver.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released Barbara G. Matthews’ and Barbara Trainin Blank’s self-help book “What to Do about Mama?: A Guide to Caring for Aging Family Members.”

About the Book:

Everyone is a potential caregiver.

Fifty-four million Americans already serve as unpaid caregivers to family members, and that number is likely to grow as the population continues to age.

Two-thirds of these caregivers are women—many of them in the “sandwich generation,” simultaneously caring for both children and older family members.

This book offers guidance to present and future caregivers—based on the real-life experiences of the authors and other caregivers who have openly and honestly shared their joys and heartaches. It isn’t a book by “experts,” but by people in the trenches—to help you develop realistic goals and expectations and strategies to keep your sanity through the trials and tribulations of caregiving.

Your experiences may be similar to or different from those of the caregivers featured here, but their stories are likely to resonate with anyone who has cared for a loved one—or might.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Why Write this Book?

Chapter One: Barbara M.’s Caregiving Story

Chapter Two: Barbara T.B.’s Caregiving Story

Chapter Three: Assuming Caregiving Responsibilities

Chapter Four: The Roles and Responsibilities of Caregivers

Chapter Five: The Emotional and Physical Impact of Caregiving

Chapter Six: Family Relations

Chapter Seven: Finances

Chapter Eight: Residual Difficulties

Chapter Nine: Positives and Negatives of Caregiving: Would You Do It Again?

Chapter Ten: Caregiver Recommendations

Conclusion: You Don’t Always Get What You Expect

Caregiver Questionnaire

About the Authors:

Barbara G. Matthews has had a patchwork quilt of professional career experiences.

For nearly five years, she served as an Assessor/Care Manager for the Area Agency on Aging of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Her main responsibility was to visit seniors in their homes to administer a comprehensive assessment, which determined their needs and eligibility for services. Matthews then “retired” to become a full-time caregiver when her mother-in-law moved into her home, an experience that motivated her to write this book.

Prior to that, Matthews was literacy coordinator for a Jobs Training Partnership Act agency. Over seven years, she was instrumental in building a thriving learning center program, which included Adult Literacy, English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education, General Educational Development, and Adult High School Diploma programs. She was also a Life Skills Instructor with the Dauphin County Prison for four years.

Matthews graduated from Kent State University in 1969 with a degree in Elementary Education. She also attended one year of graduate school at Kent State and was a graduate assistant in the sociology department. Her graduate education was cut short, both by the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, and her marriage in June of that year.

After college, Matthews taught 4th grade for a year, then began raising a family as a full-time homemaker. She returned to full-time employment when her children were in their pre-teen and teen years.

The mother of three and grandmother of nine lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband of forty-three years.

Barbara Trainin Blank is an independent writer and editor who heads her own company, Blank Page Writing, now based in Maryland.

A writer for newspapers, magazines, and web sites, in areas as diverse as the arts, health and medicine, religion, and societal trends, she has contributed to Health, Emergency Medicine, Hadassah, Business2Business, and B magazines, as well as to Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Patriot-News, and Carlisle Sentinel, among others.

Trainin Blank also provides editorial services to agencies, businesses, and individuals and has edited several books, including for the U.S. Army War College, an interior designer, nonprofit consultant, and major NYC social service organization.

A graduate of Barnard College in New York City, her hometown, she also writes plays, several of which have been presented in several local and regional theaters.